Actions in Combat

The fundamental actions of moving, attacking, and casting spells
cover most of what you want to do in a battle. They’re all described
here. Other, more specialized options are covered later in Special
Attacks, page 154, and Special Initiative Actions, page 160.
THE COMBAT ROUND
Each round represents 6 seconds in the game world. At the table, a
round presents an opportunity for each character involved in a
combat situation to take an action. Anything a person could
reasonably do in 6 seconds, your character can do in 1 round.
Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest
initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there. Each round
of a combat uses the same initiative order. When a character’s turn
comes up in the initiative sequence, that character performs his
entire round’s worth of actions. (For exceptions, see Attacks of
Opportunity, page 137, and Special Initiative Actions, page 160.)
For almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a
round or the beginning of a round. The term “round” works like the
word “month.” A month can mean either a calendar month or a span
of time from a day in one month to the same day the next month. In
the same way, a round can be a segment of game time starting with
the first character to act and ending with the last, but it usually
means a span of time from one round to the same initiative count in
the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just
before the same initiative count that they began on.
For example, a monk acts on initiative count 15. The monk’s
stunning attack stuns a creature for 1 round. The stun lasts through
initiative count 16 in the next round, not until the end of the
current round. On initiative count 15 in the next round, the stun
effect has ended and the previously stunned creature can act.
ACTION TYPES
An action’s type essentially tells you how long the action takes to
perform (within the framework of the 6-second combat round) and
how movement is treated. There are four types of actions: standard
actions, move actions, full-round actions, and free actions.
In a normal round, you can perform a standard action and a move
action, or you can perform a full-round action. You can also perform
as many free actions (see below) as your DM allows. You can always
take a move action in place of a standard action.
In some situations (such as in a surprise round), you may be
limited to taking only a single move action or standard action.
Standard Action: A standard action allows you to do something.
The most common type of standard action is an attack—a single
melee or ranged attack. Other common standard actions including
casting a spell, concentrating to maintain an active spell, activating a
magic item, and using a special ability. See Table 8–2: Actions in
Combat for other standard actions.
Move Action: A move action allows you to move your speed or
perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. You can move
your speed, climb one-quarter of your speed, draw or stow a weapon
or other item, stand up, pick up an object, or perform some
equivalent action (see Table 8–2: Actions in Combat).
You can take a move action in place of a standard action. For instance,
rather than moving your speed and attacking, you could
stand up and move your speed (two move actions), put away a
weapon and climb one-quarter of your speed (two move actions), or
pick up an item and stow it in your backpack (two move actions).
If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because
you have swapped your move for one or more equivalent actions,
such as standing up), you can take one 5-foot step either before,
during, or after the action. For example, if Tordek is on the ground,
he can stand up (a move action), move 5 feet (a 5-foot step), and then
attack.
Full-Round Action: A full-round action consumes all your effort
during a round. The only movement you can take during a fullround
action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. You
can also perform free actions (see below) as your DM allows. The
most common type of full-round action is a full attack, which allows
you to make multiple melee or ranged attacks in a single round.
Some full-round actions do not allow you to take a 5-foot step.
Some full-round actions can be taken as standard actions, but only
in situations when you are limited to performing only a standard
action during your round (such as in a surprise round). The
descriptions of specific actions, below, detail which actions allow
this option.
Free Action: Free actions consume a very small amount of time
and effort, and over the span of the round, their impact is so minor
that they are considered free. You can perform one or more free
actions while taking another action normally. However, the DM
puts reasonable limits on what you can really do for free. For instance,
calling out to your friends for help, dropping an object, and
ceasing to concentrate on a spell are all free actions.
Not an Action: Some activities are so minor that they are not
even considered free actions. They literally don’t take any time at all
to do and are considered an inherent part of doing something else.
For instance, using the Use Magic Device skill (page 85) while
trying to activate a device is not an action, it is part of the standard
action to activate a magic item.
Restricted Activity: In some situations (such as when you’re
slowed or during a surprise round), you may be unable to take a full
round’s worth of actions. In such cases, you are restricted to taking
only a single standard action or a single move action (plus free
actions as normal). You can’t take a full-round action (though you
can start or complete a full-round action by using a standard action;
see below).
STANDARD ACTIONS
Most standard actions involve making an attack, casting a spell, or
activating an item. These are the most common, straightforward
actions that a character might take in a combat round. More specialized
actions are covered in Special Attacks, page 154.
Attack
Making an attack is a standard action.
Melee Attacks: With a normal melee weapon, you can strike any
opponent within 5 feet. (Opponents within 5 feet are considered
adjacent to you.) Some melee weapons have reach, as indicated in
their descriptions in Chapter 7: Equipment. With a typical reach
weapon, you can strike opponents 10 feet away, but you can’t strike
adjacent foes (those within 5 feet).
Unarmed Attacks: Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and
head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for
the following:
Attacks of Opportunity: Attacking unarmed provokes an attack of
opportunity from the character you attack, provided she is armed.
The attack of opportunity comes before your attack. An unarmed
attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity from other foes, as
shooting a bow does, nor does it provoke an attack of opportunity
from an unarmed foe. You provoke the attack of opportunity because
you have to bring your body close to your opponent.
An unarmed character can’t take attacks of opportunity (but see
“Armed” Unarmed Attacks, below).
“Armed” Unarmed Attacks: Sometimes a character’s or creature’s
unarmed attack counts as an armed attack. A monk, a character with
the Improved Unarmed Strike feat (page 96), a spellcaster delivering
a touch attack spell, and a creature with claws, fangs, and similar
natural physical weapons all count as being armed. Note that being
armed counts for both offense and defense. Not only does a monk
not provoke an attack opportunity when attacking an armed foe, but
you provoke an attack of opportunity from a monk if you make an
unarmed attack against her.
Unarmed Strike Damage: An unarmed strike from a Medium
character deals 1d3 points of damage (plus your Strength modifier,
as normal). A Small character’s unarmed strike deals 1d2 points of
damage, while a Large character’s unarmed strike deals 1d4 points of
damage. All damage from unarmed strikes is nonlethal damage.
Unarmed strikes count as light weapons (for purposes of twoweapon
attack penalties and so on).
Dealing Lethal Damage: You can specify that your unarmed strike
will deal lethal damage before you make your attack roll, but you
take a –4 penalty on your attack roll because you have to strike a
particularly vulnerable spot to deal lethal damage. . If you have the
Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you can deal lethal damage with an
unarmed strike without taking a penalty on the attack roll.
Ranged Attacks: With a ranged weapon, you can shoot or throw
at any target that is within the weapon’s maximum range and in line
of sight. The maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range
increments. For projectile weapons, it is ten range increments. Some
ranged weapons have shorter maximum ranges, as specified in their
descriptions.
Attack Rolls: An attack roll represents your attempts to strike
your opponent. It does not represent a single swing of the sword, for
example. Rather, it indicates whether, over several attempts in the
round, you managed to connect solidly.
Your attack roll is 1d20 + your attack bonus with the weapon
you’re using. If the result is at least as high as the target’s AC, you hit
and deal damage.
Automatic Misses and Hits: A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1)
on the attack roll is always a miss. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up
20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also a threat—a possible critical hit
(see the Critical Hits sidebar, page 140).
Damage Rolls: If the attack roll result equals or exceeds the
target’s AC, the attack hits and you deal damage. Roll the appropriate
damage for your weapon (see Table 7–5: Weapon, page 116). Damage
is deducted from the target’s current hit points. If the opponent’s hit
points drop to 0 or lower, he’s in bad shape (see Injury and Death,
page 145).
Multiple Attacks: A character who can make more than one
attack per round must use the full attack action (see Full-Round
Actions, below) in order to get more than one attack.
Shooting or Throwing into a Melee: If you shoot or throw a
ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character,
you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll because you have to
aim carefully to avoid hitting your friend. Two characters are
engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either
threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized
character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being
attacked.)
If your target (or the part of your target you’re aiming at, if it’s a
big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character,
you can avoid the –4 penalty, even if the creature you’re aiming at is
engaged in melee with a friendly character.
Precise Shot: If you have the Precise Shot feat (page 98), you don’t
take this penalty.
Fighting Defensively as a Standard Action: You can choose to
fight defensively when attacking. If you do so, you take a –4 penalty
on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the same
round. This bonus stacks with the AC bonus granted by the Combat
Expertise feat (page 92).
Cast a Spell
Most spells require 1 standard action to cast. You can cast such a
spell either before or after you take a move action. See Chapter 10:
magic for details on casting spells, their effects, and so on.
Note: You retain your Dexterity bonus to AC while casting.
Spell Components: To cast a spell with a verbal (V) component,
your character must speak in a firm voice. If you’re gagged or in the
area of a silence spell, you can’t cast such a spell. A spellcaster who
has been deafened has a 20% chance to spoil any spell he tries to cast
if that spell has a verbal component.
To cast a spell with a somatic (S) component, you must gesture
freely with at least one hand. You can’t cast a spell of this type while
bound, grappling, or with both your hands full or occupied
(swimming, clinging to a cliff, or the like).
To cast a spell with a material (M), focus (F), or divine focus (DF)
component, you have to have the proper materials, as described by
the spell. Unless these materials are elaborate, such as the 2-foot-by-
4-boot mirror that a wizard needs to cast scrying, preparing these
materials is a free action. For material components and focuses
whose costs are not listed, you can assume that you have them if you
have your spell component pouch.
Some spells have an experience point (XP) component and entail
an experience point cost to you. No spell, not even restoration, can
restore the lost XP. You cannot spend so much XP that you lose a
level, so you cannot cast the spell unless you have enough XP to
spare. However, you may, on gaining enough XP to achieve a new
level, immediately spend the XP on casting the spell rather than
keeping it to advance a level. The XP are expended when you cast
the spell, whether or not the casting succeeds.
Concentration: You must concentrate to cast a spell. If you can’t
concentrate (because you are on the deck of a storm-tossed ship, for
instance), you can’t cast a spell. If you start casting a spell but
something interferes with your concentration, such as an ogre
taking the opportunity to hit you with its club (successfully hitting
you with his attack of opportunity), you must make a Concentration
check or lose the spell. The check’s DC depends on what is
threatening your concentration (see the Concentration skill, page
69, and Concentration, page 170). If you fail, the spell fizzles with no
effect. If you prepare spells (as a wizard, cleric, druid, paladin, or
ranger does), it is lost from preparation. If you cast at will (as a
sorcerer or bard does), it counts against your daily limit of spells
even though you did not cast it successfully.
Concentrating to Maintain a Spell: Some spells require continued
concentration to keep them going. Concentrating to maintain
a spell is a standard action that doesn’t provoke an attack of
opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when
casting a spell can keep you from concentrating to maintain a spell.
If your concentration breaks, the spell ends.
Casting Time: Most spells have a casting time of 1 standard
action. A spell cast in this manner immediately takes effect.
Attacks of Opportunity: Generally, if you cast a spell, you
provoke attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies. If you
take damage from an attack of opportunity, you must make a
Concentration check (DC 10 + points of damage taken + spell level)
or lose the spell. Spells that require only a free action to cast (such as
feather fall or any quickened spell) don’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
Casting on the Defensive: You may attempt to cast a spell while
paying attention to threats and avoiding blows. In this case, you are
no more vulnerable to attack than you would be if you were just
standing there, so casting a spell while on the defensive does not
provoke an attack of opportunity. It does, however, require a
Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to pull off. Failure means
that you lose the spell.
Touch Spells in Combat: Many spells have a range of touch. To
use these spells, you cast the spell and then touch the subject, either
in the same round or any time later. In the same round that you cast
the spell, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) the target. You
may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the
target, or between casting the spell and touching the target. You can
automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself, but to
touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll.
Touch Attacks: Since you need only touch your enemy, you make a
touch attack instead of a regular attack. Touching an opponent with
a touch spell is considered to be an armed attack and therefore does
not provoke attacks of opportunity. The touch spell provides you
with a credible threat that the defender is obliged to take into
account just as if it were a weapon. However, the act of casting a
spell does provoke an attack of opportunity, so you may want to cast
the spell and then move to the target instead of vice versa. Touch
attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks (for touches made
with, say, your hand) and ranged touch attacks (for touches made
with magic rays, for example). You can score critical hits with either
type of attack. Your opponent’s AC against a touch attack does not
include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. His
size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) all
apply normally.
Holding the Charge: If you don’t discharge the spell in the round
when you cast the spell, you can hold the discharge of the spell
(hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch
attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard
action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch
anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally,
the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell
dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or
an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this
case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of
opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or
natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity,
neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage
for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges.
If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.
Dismiss a Spell: Dismissing an active spell (such as alter self) is a
standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
Activate Magic Item
Many magic items don’t need to be activated—magic weapons,
magic armor, gauntlets of Dexterity, and so forth. However, certain
magic items need to be activated, especially potions, scrolls, wands,
rods, and staffs. Activating a magic item is a standard action (unless
the item description indicates otherwise).
Spell Completion Items: Activating a spell completion item,
such as a scroll, is the equivalent of casting a spell. It requires concentration
and provokes attacks of opportunity. You lose the spell if
your concentration is broken, and you can attempt to activate the
item while on the defensive, as with casting a spell (see Casting on
the Defensive, above).
Spell Trigger, Command Word, or Use-Activated Items:
Activating any of these kinds of items does not require concentration
and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Dungeon
Master’s Guide has much more information on magic items.
Use Special Ability
Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but whether it is a
standard action, a full-round action, or not an action at all is defined
by the ability (see Special Abilities, page 180).
Spell-Like Abilities: Using a spell-like ability (such as a paladin
calling her special mount) works like casting a spell in that it
requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. Spelllike
abilities can be disrupted. If your concentration is broken, the
attempt to use the ability fails, but the attempt counts as if you had
used the ability. The casting time of a spell-like ability is 1 standard
action, unless the ability description notes otherwise.
Using a Spell-Like Ability on the Defensive: You may attempt to use a
spell-like ability on the defensive, just as with casting a spell. If the
Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) fails, you can’t use the
ability, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability.
Supernatural Abilities: Using a supernatural ability (such as a
cleric’s turn or rebuke undead ability) is usually a standard action
(unless defined otherwise by the ability’s description). Its use cannot
be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not provoke
attacks of opportunity.
Extraordinary Abilities: Using an extraordinary ability (such as
a barbarian’s uncanny dodge ability) is usually not an action because
most extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive
fashion. Those extraordinary abilities that are actions are usually
standard actions that cannot be disrupted, do not require concentration,
and do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Total Defense
You can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge
bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this
action, so it helps you against any attacks of opportunity you incur
during the round. You can’t combine total defense with fighting
defensively or with the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat (since
both of those require you to declare an attack or full attack). You
can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense.
Start/Complete Full-Round Action
The “start full-round action” standard action lets you start undertaking
a full-round action, which you can complete in the following
round by using another standard action. For instance, if you are
limited to taking only a standard action each turn, you can shoot a
heavy crossbow every 3 rounds, needing 2 rounds to load it (a fullround
action) and 1 round to shoot it. Also, if you want to cast a spell
whose casting time is 1 full round, you can start the casting in one
round and complete it in the following round, for example. You
can’t use this action to start or complete a full attack, charge, run, or
withdraw.
MOVE ACTIONS
With the exception of specific movement-related skills, most move
actions don’t require a check.
Move
The simplest move action is moving your speed. If you take this
kind of move action during your turn, you can’t also take a 5-foot
step.
Many nonstandard modes of movement are covered under this
category, including climbing (up to one-quarter of your speed) and
swimming (up to one-quarter of your speed).
Accelerated Climbing: You can climb one-half your speed as a
move action by accepting a –5 penalty on your Climb check.
Crawling: You can crawl 5 feet as a move action. Crawling incurs
attacks of opportunity from any attackers who threaten you at any
point of your crawl.
Draw or Sheathe a Weapon
Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it
away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This
action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such
as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or
otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored
item.
If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a
weapon as a free action combined with a regular move. If you have
the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (page 102), you can draw two light or
one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take you to draw
one.
Drawing ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as
arrows, bolts, sling bullets, or shuriken) is a free action.
Ready or Loose a Shield
Strapping a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to your AC, or
unstrapping and dropping a shield so you can use your shield hand
for another purpose, requires a move action. If you have a base attack
bonus of +1 or higher, you can ready or loose a shield as a free action
combined with a regular move.
Dropping a carried (but not worn) shield is a free action.
Manipulate an Item
In most cases, moving or manipulating an item is a move action.
This includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an
item, moving a heavy object, and opening a door. Examples of this
kind of action, along with whether they incur an attack of
opportunity, are given in Table 8–2: Actions in Combat.
Direct or Redirect a Spell
Some spells, such as flaming sphere and spiritual weapon, allow you to
redirect the effect to new targets or areas after you cast the spell.
Redirecting a spell requires a move action and does not provoke
attacks of opportunity or require concentration (see Cast a Spell
under Standard Actions, page 140).
Stand Up
Standing up from a prone position requires a move action and provokes
attacks of opportunity.
Mount/Dismount a Steed
Mounting or dismounting from a steed requires a move action.
Fast Mount or Dismount: You can mount or dismount as a free
action with a DC 20 Ride check (your armor check penalty, if any,
applies to this check). If you fail the check, mounting or dismounting
is a move action instead. (You can’t attempt a fast mount
or fast dismount unless you can perform the mount or dismount as a
move action in the current round.)
FULL-ROUND ACTIONS
A full-round action requires an entire round to complete. Thus, it
can’t be coupled with a standard or a move action, though if it does
not involve moving any distance, you can take a 5-foot step.
Full Attack
If you get more than one attack per round because your base attack
bonus is high enough, because you fight with two weapons or a
double weapon (see Two-Weapon Fighting under Special Attacks,
page 160), or for some special reason (such as a feat or a magic item)
you must use a full-round action to get your additional attacks. You
do not need to specify the targets of your attacks ahead of time. You
can see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later
ones.
The only movement you can take during a full attack is a 5-foot
step. You may take the step before, after, or between your attacks.
If you get multiple attacks because your base attack bonus is high
enough, you must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to
lowest. If you are using two weapons, you can strike with either
weapon first. If you are using a double weapon, you can strike with
either part of the weapon first.
Deciding between an Attack or a Full Attack: After your first
attack, you can decide to take a move action instead of making your
remaining attacks, depending on how the first attack turns out. If
you’ve already taken a 5-foot step, you can’t use your move action to
move any distance, but you could still use a different kind of move
action.
Fighting Defensively as a Full-Round Action: You can choose
to fight defensively when taking a full attack action. If you do so,
you take a –4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge
bonus to AC for the same round.
Cleave: The extra attack granted by the Cleave feat (page 92) or
Great Cleave feat (page 94) can be taken whenever they apply. This
is an exception to the normal limit to the number of attacks you can
take when not using a full attack action.
Cast a Spell
A spell that takes 1 round to cast is a full-round action. It comes into
effect just before the beginning of your turn in the round after you
began casting the spell. You then act normally after the spell is
completed.
A spell that takes 1 minute to cast comes into effect just before
your turn 1 minute later (and for each of those 10 rounds, you are
casting a spell as a full-round action). These actions must be
consecutive and uninterrupted, or the spell automatically fails.
When you begin a spell that takes 1 round or longer to cast, you
must continue the invocations, gestures, and concentration from
one round to just before your turn in the next round (at least). If you
lose concentration after starting the spell and before it is complete,
you lose the spell.
You only provoke attacks of opportunity when you begin casting
a spell, even though you might continue casting for at least one full
round. While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around
you.
This action is otherwise identical to the cast a spell action described
under Standard Actions.
Casting a Metamagic Spell: Sorcerers and bards must take more
time to cast a metamagic spell (one enhanced by a metamagic feat)
than a regular spell. If a spell’s normal casting time is 1 standard
action, casting a metamagic version of the spell is a full-round action
for a sorcerer or bard. Note that this isn’t the same as a spell with a 1-
round casting time—the spell takes effect in the same round that
you begin casting, and you aren’t required to continue the
invocations, gestures, and concentration until your next turn. For
spells with a longer casting time, it takes an extra full-round action
to cast the metamagic spell.
Clerics must take more time to spontaneously cast a metamagic
version of a cure or inflict spell. For instance, an 11th-level cleric can
swap out a prepared 6th-level spell to cast an empowered cure critical
wounds. Spontaneously casting a metamagic version of a spell with a
casting time of 1 standard action is a full-round action, and spells
with longer casting times take an extra full-round action to cast.
Use Special Ability
Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but some may be
full-round actions, as defined by the ability. See Special Abilities,
page 180, and the Use Special Ability action under Standard Actions,
page 142.
Withdraw
Withdrawing from melee combat is a full-round action. When you
withdraw, you can move up to double your speed. The square you
start out in is not considered threatened by any opponent you can
see, and therefore visible enemies do not get attacks of opportunity
against you when you move from that square. (Invisible enemies
still get attacks of opportunity against you, and you can’t withdraw
from combat if you’re blinded.) You can’t take a 5-foot step during
the same round in which you withdraw.
If, during the process of withdrawing, you move out of a
threatened square (other than the one you started in), enemies get
attacks of opportunity as normal.
You may not withdraw using a form of movement for which you
don’t have a listed speed. For example, a monstrous spider has a
listed climb speed, so it can withdraw by climbing away. Your
character doesn’t normally have a listed climb speed (unless you’re
under the effect of a spider climb spell, for example), so you can’t use
climbing to withdraw from combat.
Note that despite the name of this action, you don’t actually have
to leave combat entirely. For instance, you could use a withdraw
action to move away from one enemy and toward another.
Run
You can run as a full-round action. (If you do, you do not also get a 5-
foot step.) When you run, you can move up to four times your speed
in a straight line (or three times your speed if you’re in heavy armor).
You lose any Dexterity bonus to AC unless you have the Run feat
(page 99), which allows you to keep your Dexterity bonus to AC
when running.
You can run for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution
score, but after that you must make a DC 10 Constitution check to
continue running. You must check again each round in which you
continue to run, and the DC of this check increases by 1 for each
check you have made. When you fail this check, you must stop
running. A character who has run to his limit must rest for 1 minute
(10 rounds) before running again. During a rest period, a character
can move no faster than a normal move action.
You can’t run across difficult terrain (page 148), or if you can’t see
where you’re going.
A run represents a speed of about 12 miles per hour for an unencumbered
human.
Move 5 Feet through Difficult Terrain
In some situations, your movement may be so hampered that you
don’t have sufficient speed even to move 5 feet (a single square). In
such a case, you may spend a full-round action to move 5 feet (1
square) in any direction, even diagonally. Even though this looks
like a 5-foot step, it’s not, and thus it provokes attacks of opportunity
normally. (You can’t take advantage of this rule to move through
impassable terrain or to move when all movement is prohibited to
you, such as while paralyzed.)
FREE ACTIONS
Free actions don’t take any time at all, though your DM may limit
the number of free actions you can perform in a turn. Free actions
rarely incur attacks of opportunity. Some common free actions are
described below.
Drop an Item
Dropping an item in your space or into an adjacent square is a free
action.
Drop Prone
Dropping to a prone position in your space is a free action.
Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when
it isn’t your turn. Some DMs may rule that a character can only
speak on his turn, or that a character can’t speak while flat-footed
(and thus can’t warn allies of a surprise threat until he has a chance
to act). Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the
limit of a free action; to communicate more information than that,
your DM may require that you take a move action or even a fullround
action.
Cease Concentration on Spell
You can stop concentrating on an active spell (such as detect evil) as a
free action.
Cast a Quickened Spell
You can cast a quickened spell (see the Quicken Spell feat, page 98)
or any spell whose casting time is designated as a free action (such as
the feather fall spell) as a free action. Only one such spell can be cast
in any round, and such spells don’t count toward your normal limit
of one spell per round. Casting a spell with a casting time of a free
action doesn’t incur an attack of opportunity.
MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
Some actions don’t fit neatly into the above categories. Some of
these options are actions that take the place of or are variations on
the actions described under Standard Actions, Move Actions, and
Full-Round Actions. For actions not covered below, the DM lets you
know how long such an action takes to perform and whether doing
so provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies. The
variant and special attacks mentioned here are covered under
Special Attacks, page 154.
Take 5-Foot Step
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other
kind of movement. Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack
of opportunity. You can’t take more than one 5-foot step in a round,
and you can’t take a 5-foot step in the same round when you move
any distance.
You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions
in the round. For example, you could draw a weapon (a move
action), take a 5-foot step, and then attack (a standard action), or you
could cast fireball (a standard action), take a 5-foot step through an
open door, then close the door (a move action).
You can only take a 5-foot-step if your movement isn’t hampered
by difficult terrain (see page 148) or darkness. Any creature with a
speed of 5 feet or less can’t take a 5-foot step, since moving even 5
feet requires a move action for such a slow creature.
You may not take a 5-foot step using a form of movement for
which you do not have a listed speed. For example, if you don’t have
a Climb speed listed, you can’t use climbing to make a 5-foot step.
Similarly, you can’t take a 5-foot step when swimming unless you
have a listed swim speed.
Use Feat
Certain feats, such as Whirlwind Attack, let you take special actions
in combat. Other feats do not require actions themselves, but they
give you a bonus when attempting something you can already do,
such as Improved Disarm. Some feats, such as item creation feats,
are not meant to be used within the framework of combat. The
individual feat descriptions in Chapter 5 tell you what you need to
know about them.
Use Skill
Most skill uses are standard actions, but some might be move
actions, full-round actions, free actions, or something else entirely.
The individual skill descriptions in Chapter 4 tell you what sorts of
actions are required to perform skills.